In this powerful and personal talk, Quentin Mezetin shares his journey raising two sons with autism—and the challenges of parenting in a world that often treats neurological differences as deficits. As he reflects on his family’s experience, he points to a powerful statistic from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): in 2000, 1 in 150 children in the U.S. were diagnosed with autism; by 2020, that number rose to 1 in 36. For Quentin, this rise isn't just a data point—it’s a call to action. His talk urges us to build a society that uplifts and includes every child, and the need to confront ableism head on.Quentin Mezetin is the founder of I Am DAD (I Am Defeating Ableism Daily), an initiative focused on supporting parents of children with autism. As a father of six and community leader, he draws on personal experience to explore the realities of parenting and ableism. Through storytelling, he examines how mindset and language shape our understanding of difference and inclusion.To learn more about TEDxTAMU and explore our speakers and events, visit www.tedxtamu.orgThis talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Charles Douglas Renick brings a lifetime of reflection and leadership to the stage in a talk centered on the transformative power of gratitude. Drawing from personal experience, decades of executive leadership at Merrill Lynch, and 50 years of studying and teaching gratitude, Renick shares how a gratitude-centered perspective can unlock resilience, fulfillment, and lasting success.Beginning with a powerful story he often shared throughout his career, Renick illustrates how life has far exceeded anything he could have imagined as a young graduate. Now at 70, facing personal health challenges, he is more passionate than ever about sharing gratitude as a tool for navigating adversity and reconnecting with purpose.His talk will take the audience on a three-part journey: stories of lives changed through gratitude, research showing its measurable impact on relationships, health, and performance, and practical steps to help individuals cultivate gratitude in their own lives. With insight, humility, and hope, Renick invites us to reframe how we see the world—and ourselves—through the lens of gratitude. Renick brings more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry to both his coaching practice and speaking engagements. Over the course of his career, Renick has had the opportunity to speak at over 2,500 events, including speeches, seminars, and town halls. Through these presentations, he has inspired countless colleagues and clients with insights, practical advice, and exceptional leadership. His work has helped shape the careers of many in the industry. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Dan is a college student committed to becoming the best version of himself by embracing discomfort and facing challenges head-on. He used to believe growth came from careful planning, but a plunge into freezing water taught him that real growth happens when we do what scares us most. In this talk, he shares a simple equation for personal development and challenges you to see fear as a guide, not a barrier. Dan Firstenberg is a student at UC Davis studying Computer Science and Statistics, originally from Redmond, Washington. He loves a good challenge, loves learning, and loves people—so his talk is a reflection of all three. It was shaped by many moments of diving into the deep end of life, hours of reflection, and countless conversations with friends about everything and nothing. At its core, it’s about what it means to work toward becoming the best version of yourself, every single day. As always, it’s a beautiful day to be a beautiful day This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

A veces, lo que nos empuja a seguir adelante no es una meta, sino una pasión. En esta charla, la cantautora Ana Naranja nos comparte cómo la música se convirtió en su refugio emocional, una herramienta para sanar, expresarse y reconectar con lo que realmente importa. Una invitación a nunca abandonar lo que nos hace vibrar, por más tímidos, ocupados o desconectados que nos sintamos. Cantante, coproductora y compositora colombiana que teje de la mano de las músicas del mundo y el inmenso universo del pop una propuesta cargada diversidad sonora, letras emocionantes y su voz que transita entre diferentes texturas para completar un paisaje cálido y curioso. Su primer trabajo discográfico, un EP llamado Meteoro la reseñó como uno de los nuevos talentos de la escena de cantautores de Colombia, figurando en múltiples concursos internacionales. Ha compartido escenario con grandes referentes de la música colombiana como Marta Gómez, Lafér, María Cristina Plata, Pilar Cabrera, Enkelé, Jaison Neutra, Diana Burco y Pavlo. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

La violencia estética es silenciosa, pero está en todas partes. En esta entrevista con la periodista Paola Esteban, Adriana Convers—conocida como Fatpandora—nos invita a cuestionar los discursos actuales de “body positive” y "cuerpos diversos". Con claridad y valentía, desmantela las falsas promesas de los estándares de belleza y nos propone una nueva forma de habitarnos: más libre, más digna y más justa. Publicista, especialista en Marketing y Comunicación de Moda. Hace siete años abrió su blog sobre moda y autoestima llamado fatpandora.com, el cual la convirtió en una de las influenciadoras colombianas de primera ola. Su blog ha sido referenciado en importantes medios internacionales como Elle, Buzzfeed, Refinery 29 y ha sido la única colombiana que ha figurado dos veces en el portal de moda Man Repeller. También ha estado en la portada de la revista Cromo y en otros medios nacionales como El Espectador, Revista Fucsia, Caracol Radio y Blu Radio. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx